Pursued in business and came to China at around 1908
Was living in Nanking at 1937
Personality/Quirks/Unique Personality Traits: Caring, calm and organized. Education: Pursued career in business Languages you speak: German Your main concerns at this time and in life:
Saving the Chinese and providing them food and shelter.
Organizing the International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone and Protecting the Nanking Safety Zone from the Japanese attack.
Journal 1 November 22, 1937
As I woke up from my bed, first thing I heard was that Japanese troops are advancing towards Nanking. I have heard how vicious those Japanese troops have been to the Chinese. As I headed towards my work place, I could imagine how the city will be turned into a chaos if Japanese march in. Sooner or later, Nanking’s peace will be gone. As Japanese started the bombing raids, most of my friends, fellow foreign businessmen, have already fled out of the city. However, I have decided to stay in Nanking. I believe that Japanese would not just randomly start assaults right away as they come into the city. I am going to try to contact them and find a peaceful agreement. Today, I was to meet up with other businessmen and missionaries who remained in Nanking in order to decide what to do. Mostly Americans, we gathered around and discussed about how Japanese will come in soon and that Nanking will become a dangerous place. In order to prevent any casualties, we have decided to create and organize a safety zone for the war. This sanctuary will be hope for many Chinese refugees. The question of morality exists here, and I cannot abandon those who trusts me and I want to live up to those beliefs in me. Therefore, the International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone was organized. The members contained around 20 people, including businessmen, missionary, professor, and doctor from countries like America, Britain, and Germany. Our refugee camp had an area of about 4 km², and was located near the US Embassy. Upon further discussion, the committee members decided to gather foods, medical care and support from other sources. Fortunately, many people were willing to help us creating a safety zone. From the pace of working and help of others, it is expected that the formation of safety zone will be completed soon enough. In order to ensure the safety of the safety zone, I wrote a letter to the Japanese official Minoru Oda, saying please not to attack this part of city where no Chinese military will be present. Since I am also a German, as far as I am concerned, Japanese, who is allied with Germany, will not try to attack where I stay. I hope this plan works out well.
Journal 2 December 17, 1937
Today, two Japanese soldiers tried to sneak into my house by climbing through the wall. When I saw them and asked them why they were here, they gave me excuse that they saw some Chinese soldiers going to here. Then, I showed them the badge, they returned back to the city. It has been few weeks since the first attack started in Nanking. There were Japanese soldiers everywhere. These days, all I hear about is people getting shot and women getting raped. Recently, I have saved one of those women, who was beaten almost to death after rape. I managed to take her to the hospital. Although I have previously sent the commander of the Japanese army about how thankful I was since there were no casualties among the citizens, this has become totally insane and out of control. Japanese soldiers are running everywhere stealing, raping and killing. Since he might have not known about this, I decided to send him another letter to maintain order of his army and to control them since they are going out of order. Despite all the violence and rudeness in the city, our Nanking Safety Zone remained peaceful and safe. Now, the number of refugees staying in this Safety Zone reached 200,000. Although we are doing our best to help most of them, there are limits to what we can do for them. One man said that two women in his family were raped by Japanese soldiers. Also, several women were raped in the daylight in the middle of room with even children. Unfortunately, I believe that we 22 committee members cannot feed and take care of all 200,000 Chinese refugees and protect them as this war continues. There is just not enough food and shelter for all those people. Nanking Safety Zone is not enough to provide help for all people. We desperately need cooperation of Japanese army and help from them. However, it is truly painful to see how people can be brutal towards week ones. I wish this war to come to end before all of us dies.
Journal 3 January 19th, 1938
Although it was quite hard, we managed to survive and protect most of the Chinese refugees. It’s been more than two months after the attack started in Nanking. However, the brutalities of Japanese soldiers did not seem to calm down. They roamed around the city and patrolled around the streets. Today, the supply truck seemed to be late, so me and few members decided to go out and find out what happened. As we go along, we found 3 women, seemingly mother and two daughters, walking in the open street. Based on observation, they seemed to be very tired from a long walk. We thought that if they were to be seen by Japanese soldiers, they were sure to be raped and beaten. In order to prevent that, we decided to take them along into the safety zone to ensure their safety. We slowly approached them, but suddenly they started to walk faster. It seemed that we scared them. I tried to communicate with them that we are not their enemies. They stopped as they found out that we were not Japanese soldiers. As we got closer, I noticed some scars around their body. Yet another who were attacked by Japanese soldiers. It seemed that they were already raped and escaped somehow. I told them not to be scared of us and that we will help them. Although I knew that we were already at the limit, protecting 200,000 refugees, I could not just ignore those poor little souls who put their trusts in me. I do not know how long we can keep this up. The situation is getting worse and worse as each day passes by. Although it is still away from contact with Japanese soldiers, I do not know when we will be engulfed in danger.
Journal 4 January 29, 1938
Today, a sophisticated looking British reporter visited the Safety Zone. She introduced that her name was Caroline Tennant and that she wanted to know what happened in Nanking. Although I was warned not to say anything bad about Japanese from the Japanese officials, I did not want to let go of those trusts people of Nanking have placed on me. I told her all about the brutalities and violences of Japanese soldiers. These Japanese soldiers raped any women they saw in the city and killed anyone who tried to interfere with them. I told her about the incident in nearby girls school. Those soldiers killed all the guards that were protecting the school and attacked the girls inside the school. More than 100 girls were raped that day alone. As I explained how horrifying it was, I felt better about how I am the one protecting them from those violences. I felt proud that I was able to provide them food and shelters. When I finished explaining, she wanted to look around the place. There were not really a place to look around since everywhere was filled up with refugees. As she walked she found a girl with her sister and mother, whom I brought to the safety zone around ten days ago. Ms. Tennant wanted to interview them and record their experiences. Since I didn’t have any rights to hear their painful personal stories I left them alone and left the spot. I hope that she’ll spread this horror-stricken event and make people realized how barbaric the Japanese are. This way, their attacks and this war itself will come to end and bring these people peace once again.
Name: John Rabe
Age: 55 (Born November 23, 1882)
Gender: Male
Occupation:
- German Businessman
- Best known for saving and providing shelters for more than 200,000 Chinese people.
Appearance: Clean attire, bald, glasses, formal, sophisticated.Location:
- Born in Germany
- Pursued in business and came to China at around 1908
- Was living in Nanking at 1937
Personality/Quirks/Unique Personality Traits: Caring, calm and organized.Education: Pursued career in business
Languages you speak: German
Your main concerns at this time and in life:
Journal 1
November 22, 1937
As I woke up from my bed, first thing I heard was that Japanese troops are advancing towards Nanking. I have heard how vicious those Japanese troops have been to the Chinese. As I headed towards my work place, I could imagine how the city will be turned into a chaos if Japanese march in. Sooner or later, Nanking’s peace will be gone. As Japanese started the bombing raids, most of my friends, fellow foreign businessmen, have already fled out of the city. However, I have decided to stay in Nanking. I believe that Japanese would not just randomly start assaults right away as they come into the city. I am going to try to contact them and find a peaceful agreement.
Today, I was to meet up with other businessmen and missionaries who remained in Nanking in order to decide what to do. Mostly Americans, we gathered around and discussed about how Japanese will come in soon and that Nanking will become a dangerous place. In order to prevent any casualties, we have decided to create and organize a safety zone for the war. This sanctuary will be hope for many Chinese refugees. The question of morality exists here, and I cannot abandon those who trusts me and I want to live up to those beliefs in me.
Therefore, the International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone was organized. The members contained around 20 people, including businessmen, missionary, professor, and doctor from countries like America, Britain, and Germany. Our refugee camp had an area of about 4 km², and was located near the US Embassy.
Upon further discussion, the committee members decided to gather foods, medical care and support from other sources. Fortunately, many people were willing to help us creating a safety zone. From the pace of working and help of others, it is expected that the formation of safety zone will be completed soon enough.
In order to ensure the safety of the safety zone, I wrote a letter to the Japanese official Minoru Oda, saying please not to attack this part of city where no Chinese military will be present. Since I am also a German, as far as I am concerned, Japanese, who is allied with Germany, will not try to attack where I stay. I hope this plan works out well.
Journal 2
December 17, 1937
Today, two Japanese soldiers tried to sneak into my house by climbing through the wall. When I saw them and asked them why they were here, they gave me excuse that they saw some Chinese soldiers going to here. Then, I showed them the badge, they returned back to the city. It has been few weeks since the first attack started in Nanking. There were Japanese soldiers everywhere. These days, all I hear about is people getting shot and women getting raped. Recently, I have saved one of those women, who was beaten almost to death after rape. I managed to take her to the hospital.
Although I have previously sent the commander of the Japanese army about how thankful I was since there were no casualties among the citizens, this has become totally insane and out of control. Japanese soldiers are running everywhere stealing, raping and killing. Since he might have not known about this, I decided to send him another letter to maintain order of his army and to control them since they are going out of order.
Despite all the violence and rudeness in the city, our Nanking Safety Zone remained peaceful and safe. Now, the number of refugees staying in this Safety Zone reached 200,000. Although we are doing our best to help most of them, there are limits to what we can do for them. One man said that two women in his family were raped by Japanese soldiers. Also, several women were raped in the daylight in the middle of room with even children.
Unfortunately, I believe that we 22 committee members cannot feed and take care of all 200,000 Chinese refugees and protect them as this war continues. There is just not enough food and shelter for all those people. Nanking Safety Zone is not enough to provide help for all people. We desperately need cooperation of Japanese army and help from them. However, it is truly painful to see how people can be brutal towards week ones. I wish this war to come to end before all of us dies.
Journal 3
January 19th, 1938
Although it was quite hard, we managed to survive and protect most of the Chinese refugees. It’s been more than two months after the attack started in Nanking. However, the brutalities of Japanese soldiers did not seem to calm down. They roamed around the city and patrolled around the streets.
Today, the supply truck seemed to be late, so me and few members decided to go out and find out what happened. As we go along, we found 3 women, seemingly mother and two daughters, walking in the open street. Based on observation, they seemed to be very tired from a long walk. We thought that if they were to be seen by Japanese soldiers, they were sure to be raped and beaten. In order to prevent that, we decided to take them along into the safety zone to ensure their safety. We slowly approached them, but suddenly they started to walk faster. It seemed that we scared them. I tried to communicate with them that we are not their enemies. They stopped as they found out that we were not Japanese soldiers. As we got closer, I noticed some scars around their body. Yet another who were attacked by Japanese soldiers. It seemed that they were already raped and escaped somehow. I told them not to be scared of us and that we will help them. Although I knew that we were already at the limit, protecting 200,000 refugees, I could not just ignore those poor little souls who put their trusts in me.
I do not know how long we can keep this up. The situation is getting worse and worse as each day passes by. Although it is still away from contact with Japanese soldiers, I do not know when we will be engulfed in danger.
Journal 4
January 29, 1938
Today, a sophisticated looking British reporter visited the Safety Zone. She introduced that her name was Caroline Tennant and that she wanted to know what happened in Nanking. Although I was warned not to say anything bad about Japanese from the Japanese officials, I did not want to let go of those trusts people of Nanking have placed on me. I told her all about the brutalities and violences of Japanese soldiers. These Japanese soldiers raped any women they saw in the city and killed anyone who tried to interfere with them. I told her about the incident in nearby girls school. Those soldiers killed all the guards that were protecting the school and attacked the girls inside the school. More than 100 girls were raped that day alone.
As I explained how horrifying it was, I felt better about how I am the one protecting them from those violences. I felt proud that I was able to provide them food and shelters. When I finished explaining, she wanted to look around the place. There were not really a place to look around since everywhere was filled up with refugees. As she walked she found a girl with her sister and mother, whom I brought to the safety zone around ten days ago. Ms. Tennant wanted to interview them and record their experiences. Since I didn’t have any rights to hear their painful personal stories I left them alone and left the spot. I hope that she’ll spread this horror-stricken event and make people realized how barbaric the Japanese are. This way, their attacks and this war itself will come to end and bring these people peace once again.